ge to find another
person living entirely for him; and it was a change that was wholly
beneficial. As his nature deepened Elisabeth's, so her nature expanded
his; and each was the better for the influence of the other, as each was
the complement of the other. So after a time Christopher grew almost as
light-hearted as Elisabeth, while Elisabeth grew almost as
tender-hearted as Christopher. For both of them the former things had
passed away, and all things were made new.

It was beautiful weather, too, which helped to increase their happiness;
that still, full, green weather, which sometimes comes in the late
summer, satisfying men's souls with its peaceful perfectness; when the
year is too old to be disturbed by the restless hope of spring, too
young to be depressed by the chilling dread of autumn, and so just
touches the fringe of that eternity which has no end neither any
beginning. The fine weather hastened Christopher's recovery; and, as he
gained strength, he and Elisabeth spent much time in the old garden,
looking toward the Welsh mountains.

"So we have come to the country on the other side of the hills at
last," she said to him, as they were watching one of the wonderful
Mershire sunsets and drinking in its beauty. "I always knew it was
there, but sometimes I gave up all hope of ever finding it for myself."

Christopher took her hand and began playing with the capable
artist-fingers. "And is it as nice a country as you expected,
sweetheart?"

"As nice as I expected? I should just think it is. I knew that in the
country over the hills I should find all the beautiful things I had
imagined as a child and all the lovely things I had longed for as a
woman; and that, if only I could reach it, all the fairy-tales would
come true. But now that I have reached it, I find that the fairy-tales
fell far short of the reality, and that it is a million times nicer than
I ever imagined anything could be."

"Darling, I am glad you are so happy. But it beats me how such a stupid
fellow as I am can make you so."

"Well, you do, and that's all that matters. Nobody can tell how they do
things; they only know that they can do them. I don't know how I can
paint pictures any more than you know how you can turn smoky ironworks
into the country over the hills. But we can, and do; which shows what
clever people we are, in spite of ourselves."

"I think the cleverness lies with you in both cases--in your wonderful
powers of imagina